TNAG-2566-FCO40-3751-Agreements-between-the-Hong-Kong-Special-Administrative-Regi-1992 — Page 4

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FILE 13

Reference

CONFIDENTIAL

370191

RECEIVED IN RECISTRY

13 MAR 1992.

REGISTRY vion Take:

Miss Brooks

Legal Advisers

UK/SARG AGREEMENTS

1. I would be grateful for any views you might have on Mr Edward's letter to Mr Ricketts of 4 September and Mr Wye's minute of 16 September (copy attached for ease of reference).

2. We share the view that the "non-treaty" approach with signature of a treaty by the SARG in 1997 is the most preferable alternative. However we agree with Mr Wye that we should get these initialled and handed over to the Chinese by 1995 at the latest. As we know from bitter experience even the most routine of proposals are likely to take the Chinese at least a year to consider, especially since if the Chinese were to object to this approach we would then have to start from scratch on a different one.

3. I suggest that the next step should be for us to submit to ministers along these lines and then consult more widely in Whitehall on the suitability of the model agreements as a basis for UK/SARG treaties. If you agree with this I will start drafting.

RASBut.

RAJ Bunten

Hong Kong Dept

WH 305 270-2655

8 October 1992

agreements.min/UK.SARG

CODE 18-77

CONFIDENTIAL

HICC 37079

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